Cherry Lemon Bread

I love making this at Christmas and giving it for gifts.  It is festive looking and tastes good.

Cherry Lemon Bread
1/3 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
grated rind of 1 lemon
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup sliced maraschino cherries
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven at 350 degrees.  Cream shortening, sugar and eggs well together. Sift together the dry ingredients and add.  Add the lemon rind, nuts and cherries.  Grease and flour two small or one large loaf pan.  Bake the two small loaves for 45 minutes and the large loaf pan will take about 1 hour.  Have a pan of water in the oven while the bread is baking.  Cool and frost with 1/4 cup of sugar moistened with lemon juice.